Others have noted this, but I think people should really give the emergency issue more thought. I too was in the area covered by the 2003 blackout, and cell phones did not work. It's not the charging issue, it's the power to the towers.

So we dug out our $8 corded phone and unplugged the cordless and--voila service. I don't think I can remember any time where the landline didn't work--plenty of times of no electricity, but never phoneless due to weather.

I would, though, LOVE to ditch the landline just because AT&T's billing department would have to improve 1000% to achieve incompetence. Jeebus Christmas.

I really like one of the other poster's idea of a $5 a month "backup landline" plan--set it up so if you make calls, charge $1 for each one, and 50 cents for each call answered.

Corded landlines have a source of power included in the telephone line - that's one reason you shouldn't talk on the phone during a thunderstorm.

Just a note, this post was referenced in the Fraywatch summary as one representing the "paranoia" argument for keeping landline phones around. I would just like to concur with the OP and note that landline phones vastly outperform cell phones in an emergency. Cell phone systems get locked up very easily in an emergency, and that's if the towers are even functioning. Landline systems are much more robust, whether main power is working or not (assuming you have a corded landline phone that doesn't require power!). It's not paranoid to plan for disasters, and to actually want to be able to call and access emergency services in the event of an actual emergency. Also, landlines are necessary in some rural areas where cell phones can't or don't cover, and they are very useful for businesses with stationary locals and regular operating hours, so they won't actually be going away any time soon.